Wehmut
German source:
Joseph von Eichendorff
Als ob ich fröhlich sei,
Doch heimlich Tränen dringen,
Da wird das Herz mir frei.
Es lassen Nachtigallen,
Spielt draußen Frühlingsluft,
Der Sehnsucht Lied erschallen
Aus ihres Kerkers Gruft.
Da lauschen alle Herzen,
Und alles ist erfreut,
Doch keiner fühlt die Schmerzen,
Im Lied das tiefe Leid.
Sadness
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
As though I were content;
But secretly tears well up,
And my heart is set free.
Nightingales, when spring breezes
Play outside, sing
Their song of longing
From their dungeon cell.
Then all hearts listen
And everyone rejoices,
Yet no one feels the pain,
The deep sorrow in the song.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Wehmut
German source:
Joseph von Eichendorff
Sadness
English source:
Richard Stokes
Ich kann wohl manchmal singen,
True, I can sometimes sing
Als ob ich fröhlich sei,
As though I were content;
Doch heimlich Tränen dringen,
But secretly tears well up,
Da wird das Herz mir frei.
And my heart is set free.
Es lassen Nachtigallen,
Nightingales, when spring breezes
Spielt draußen Frühlingsluft,
Play outside, sing
Der Sehnsucht Lied erschallen
Their song of longing
Aus ihres Kerkers Gruft.
From their dungeon cell.
Da lauschen alle Herzen,
Then all hearts listen
Und alles ist erfreut,
And everyone rejoices,
Doch keiner fühlt die Schmerzen,
Yet no one feels the pain,
Im Lied das tiefe Leid.
The deep sorrow in the song.
Composer
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured…
Poet
Joseph von Eichendorff
Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff was a German poet, novelist, playwright, literary critic, translator, and anthologist. Eichendorff was one of the major writers and critics of Romanticism. Ever since their publication and up to the present day, some…
Performances
Previously performed at:
- Concerto Grosso 17 Oct 2023
- Die schöne Magelone: Thomas Oliemans & Malcolm Martineau 25 Oct 2018
- Bach Revived Part II 21 Oct 2016